Pasta La Vista! (Japanese: 格闘道場！サトシＶＳハルカ！Fighting Dojo! Satoshi VS Haruka!) is the 145th episode of the Advanced Generation series, and the 419th episode of the Pokémon anime. It was first broadcast in Japan on September 29, 2005 and in the United States on July 8, 2006.

Contents

Blurb

Before they leave Saffron City, the kids have different things they want to check out. May and Brock want to try some awesome noodles. Ash and Max want to check out a Fighting-type Pokémon dojo. Unable to fully agree, the two groups split up.

May and Brock arrive at the noodle place only to see the chef, Kyle, being dragged away by a girl named Terri. May, desperate for food, follows them with Brock. Meanwhile, Team Rocket have come up with their own noodle cart scheme, but abandon it when they see Ash and Max headed for the dojo.

At the dojo, Ash and Max are quickly drafted by Master Hamm into being students at the dojo, even though they just wanted a demonstration. Terri happens to drag Kyle in while Ash, Max, and Pikachu are cleaning the dojo's floors. After May and Brock arrive, it is finally explained that Kyle is the son of Master Hamm, and that Hamm wants Kyle to take over the dojo. Kyle would rather make noodles. Unwilling to compromise, they decide to have a Pokémon battle to sort it out. Master Hamm's back gives out as they start, so Ash offers to take his place. Kyle doesn't like this, so May takes Kyle's place.

Ash and May both practice, using Master Hamm and Kyle's Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan. They soon begin a formal battle, but are interrupted by Team Rocket, determined to steal the Fighting-type Pokémon. Terri steps in with her Hitmontop, freeing Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan just before Pikachu sends Team Rocket blasting off.

Everyone is disappointed that the battle wasn't finished, and Kyle admits he's been trying to make noodles as good as his father's all along. Terri offers to take over the dojo, since it happens that managing a dojo like that was her dream. It turns out that Master Hamm's dream was to sell noodles from a cart. In the end, everyone gets what they want, including May, who gets to try some delicious noodles made by Master Hamm!

Plot

May displays her newly acquired Ribbon as everyone is sitting on tires in a nearby field. Ash wants to hurry off to the Battle Arena as both May and Max tell him to wait. May shows him her restaurant guidebook which tells of a noodle restaurant famous for its "Battle Noodles." Max shows Ash an advertisement for a free battle demo of "The Strongest" at the Pokémon Dojo. The group then splits, with May and Brock going to the noodle restaurant and Ash and Max going to the dojo.

Outside the restaurant, May and Brock see a long line of people. The noodle chef, Kyle and a girl named Terri exit the restaurant and appear to be arguing. Terri wants Kyle to go with her to the dojo, but he does not want to since he has all those customers. Terri says that his family is more important than his customers. As May becomes fired up, Brock falls in love with the girl. They both dash off to follow Kyle and Terri, May for the noodles and Brock for the girl. The customers in line, some of whom have already paid, begin complaining about the chef leaving.

Meanwhile, Team Rocket has constructed a stand to sell noodles. As they argue about who will cook, they see Ash and Max walking on the sidewalk. Jessie and James dash off after them and leave a bewildered Meowth to man the noodle stand. Upset, Meowth complains about how he always has to do all the work.

Ash and Max arrive at the Dojo, which turns out to be empty. Max wonders if this is really the place, so they call out to see if anyone is around and are answered by an old man who jumps out from inside the Dojo, demonstrates some martial arts moves, and lands gracefully in front of them. The old man introduces himself as Master Hamm and Ash and Max greet him. Max then mentions that Ash made the top 8 of the last competition in Ever Grande City, surprising the master. Assuming that Ash wants to apply as a student, Master Hamm starts pushing him inside the dojo as Team Rocket looks on from a nearby tree. They plot to steal all the Fighting-type Pokémon and Pikachu too.

Inside, Max and Ash are cleaning the floor of the dojo as Master Hamm orders them around. Both of them wonder why they're doing this in the first place. They hear a conversation coming from outside and turn to see Kyle and Terri walk through the doorway with May and Brock in tow. When May asks why they are cleaning the floor, Ash replies that even he does not know. The young woman recognizes May as the winner of the recent Saffron Pokémon Contest, saying that she watched her on television. Brock begins to gush over Terri, but she goes over and asks Master Hamm about the "new Trainers," whom he says are his new students. Ash and Max say that that only wanted to see some Fighting-type Pokémon. Terri scolds Master Hamm for treating them so, but he says he only did so because Kyle, his son and unwilling heir to the Dojo, refuses to do the work. Terri apologizes for the scene and introduces herself to Ash and his friends. She says that she is the Dojo's only student, which in the past had hundreds. If Kyle does not take over the Dojo, Master Hamm would have no choice but to close it down. Brock tries to interrupt the arguing with his own "solution": he will marry Terri and take over instead. However, he is ignored and the fighting continues.

Master Hamm says that the only way to settle this is with a Pokémon Battle. If Kyle loses, he agrees to take over the Dojo, but if he wins, he is free to do whatever he wants. Kyle accepts and makes Terri the "Contest judge", but she says that this is no way to decide something so important, with which May agrees. Kyle and Master Hamm take their places at opposite sides of the field. Terri asks if they have to do it this way and the two emphatically say so. The battle commences as Master Hamm calls upon Hitmonlee, which executes some kicks as Ash looks it up in his Pokédex. Kyle releases Hitmonchan, which demonstrates some rapid punches as May looks it up in her Pokédex. May yells to Kyle that she is rooting for him so that he can make noodles for her. Kyle tells Hitmonchan to use Mach Punch, knocking Hitmonlee back. It quickly recovers as Master Hamm jumps into the air and kicks while directing Hitmonlee to use Jump Kick, but he suddenly injures his back, abruptly ending the battle. Master Hamm is determined to settle the matter but is unable to do so at the moment. Ash offers to fill in for him, which he agrees to, lending Ash his Hitmonlee. Kyle argues that the battle would be pointless if he is battling a replacement. May offers to battle against Ash in Kyle's place, which he agrees to. Kyle tells her that he will make her his famous Battle Noodles if she wins. Both then go to train their Pokémon for the battle.

Outside of the dojo, Team Rocket is spying on Ash's practice battle between Hariyama and Hitmonlee. Hitmonlee dodges each of Hariyama's Arm Thrusts and lands a successful blow when Ash orders it to use Rolling Kick. Hariyama spins uncontrollably as Hitmonlee then delivers a High Jump Kick which knocks Hariyama back and on top of Team Rocket. With Hariyama defeated, it is returned to its Poké Ball. Master Hamm takes note of Ash's skill and says that if Ash were to take over the Dojo, he could go off to follow his dreams. Max says that he thought he was doing this to get Kyle to take over the Dojo.

On another field outside the Dojo, Breloom and Hitmonchan are in battle, dodging each other's blows. Breloom uses Stun Spore and Hitmonchan quickly dodges. The spores float over to Team Rocket and stun the trio. Breloom then uses Sky Uppercut and Kyle tells May to use the same thing. The two Pokémon launch at each other, but Hitmonchan strikes first. Kyle suggests Mach Punch, which Hitmonchan executes and knocks Breloom out. Terri suggests that Kyle just take over the Dojo, but he refuses to run what he calls a dump. Terri is incensed by the insult and Kyle says that he didn't mean it. Terri quickly apologizes, saying that she always thought that they would run the Dojo together someday. May tells Brock that she thinks Terri might have feelings for Kyle. Brock has another emotional breakdown and appears to be in a snowstorm, "doomed to hopeless love forever." He seemingly freezes up and breaks into shards.

Back inside the Dojo, the battle is about to begin between Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan as Kyle and Master Hamm both encourage their respective representatives. Ash commands Hitmonlee to use a Rolling Kick and May tells Hitmonchan to use Sky Uppercut. Both attacks hit their marks, sending both Pokémon to the ground. Master Hamm compliments May for using that strategy to reduce damage from the Rolling Kick. Kyle mentions that the trick with Fighting-type Pokémon is utilizing your opponent's energy. Hitmonchan uses Mach Punch, but Hitmonlee dodges and strikes with Jump Kick, knocking Hitmonchan back to the wall. Prompted by Kyle for a counterattack, May has Hitmonchan use Comet Punch. Hitmonlee dodges the first few swings, but is eventually struck a few times and falls onto its back. Hitmonlee struggles to its feet, but is sent into the wall by Hitmonchan's Mach Punch. Master Hamm yells at Ash to keep his guard up. With her eyes ablaze, May firmly declares that she wants those Battle Noodles and no one will stop her from having them. A little concerned, Ash tells her to calm down. Hitmonlee gets back up and stands wearily. Hitmonlee suddenly gets up close with Agility and readies a Mach Punch. Hitmonlee quickly jumps and knees Hitmonchan in the face with High Jump Kick. Master Hamm tells an astonished Kyle to say goodbye to his noodle shop. Kyle says that the battle is not over until one of the Pokémon uses "that attack," which Master Hamm says is the strongest one they both know.

Both Ash and May call for it to be done, so Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee get ready to use Focus Punch. They launch at each other, but suddenly the roof caves in. Team Rocket makes their entrance and recites their motto. Their mecha looks like two massive bowls of noodles attached at the bottom, with wheels and one mechanical arm holding a pair of chopsticks and the other holding a net with Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee inside. Ash and May tell them to let the Pokémon go, but Team Rocket turns and begins to make their getaway. Terri releases her Hitmontop to use Rapid Spin to break the net, releasing the two Pokémon. Terri tells it to then use Mega Kick, which destroys the top half of the mecha and leaves Team Rocket vulnerable in the cockpit. Ash then has Pikachu use Thunderbolt, blowing up the mecha and sending Team Rocket blasting off again.

After the destructive interruption, Terri asks Kyle why making noodles is so important. He says it all started with a bowl of noodles his dad made for him when he was younger. He wanted to make noodles just like his father's and run a successful business, showing everyone that he is capable of perfection. Master Hamm realizes his son's dream and gives his blessing for Kyle to pursue his dreams. Father and son apologize and embrace one another, and Master Hamm says that all he wanted was for Kyle to be happy. Kyle asks what is going to happen now, with the Dojo still without a foreseeable future. Terri then offers to take over the Dojo for Master Hamm, which has always been her dream. He accepts and jokingly suggests that she call it "Dojo-a-Go-Go", but Max thinks that the joke is a "no-go." Ash asks Master Hamm to finally reveal his dream, and he says that he wants to travel the world selling noodles from a mobile stand. Kyle likes the idea, but asks that he make the same noodles that inspired him before he leaves. Master Hamm agrees and then makes noodles for everyone. After eating the delicious noodles, Ash and his friends bid farewell and head off to the Battle Arena.

Maddie Blaustein revealed that Meowth says "Team Rocket's Blaustein off again!" as Team Rocket is blasting off, a possible homage to her last performance as the character. One has to listen very closely to hear this.

The dub title is a pun on the Spanish phrase hasta la vista, meaning "Until I see you", "Goodbye", "So long", or "See you soon". The title may have been chosen to note that this is the last episode dubbed by 4Kids.